Beet-topper.



D. KLEMMER.

BEET TOFFEE.

urmouzou rum) mm: 10, 1911.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

Patented Dec.'3, 1912.,

D. KLEMMER.

BEET TOPPER.

APPLICATION EILED JUM 10, 1911.

Patented Dec. 3,1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

F/iM SL Man/16E. m,

Qw alas.

all whom it may concern DANIEL K EMMER, or DETROITQ-ZMIIGHIGAN.

BEE'r-TorrER.

I I Be it known that I, DANIEL KL MMER, a

citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of lVayne and State of Michigan, have invented eertain new and usefulImprovements in Beet- Toppers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying 'drawings.

In the process of topping beets by field machinery it is desirable that the operation of the cutter bepositive while at the same time it be gaged accurately to sever the tops at the proper line. It is'also desirable that the machines be of light draft.

This invent-ion relates to a topping machine -for severing the crowns and tops ofsugar beets or like vegetables wherein a cutter is provided having positive shearing action on the tops of the beets thatis carried by gagingmechanism which insures its application at the proper p'oint.

The invention consists in the matters here-- inafter set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.-

In thedrawings, Figure 1 is a-view in side elevation of a machine embodying features of the invention; and Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof'with parts broken away the draft rigging being omitted in both instances.

As herein shown in preferred form a horizontal main frame is formed of a bar, preferably of channel section, bent between its ends into parallel 'side members 1 whose mechan1sm 1s had whlch comblnes a knlfe forward end portions are obliquely inset and brought into parallel abutting relation as I indicated at 2, the rear ends of the arms being preferably connected by a rounded portion 3 which acts as a brace to prevent racking of the frame. A rear axle 4 is secured as by clips 5 beneath the frame with bearing wheels 6 at its extremities. A pair of forward guide bearing wheels 7 are journaled on an axle 8 having an upri ht stem 9 swiveled in an eyelet 1O forme preferably of a bar bent into the desired form with its arms 11 riveted to the portions 2 of the frames, A stop collar 12 on the stem 9 forms an end thrust bearing supporting the eyelet 10.

A pair of depending longitudinally slot ted guide plates 13 are secured as by rivet-s 11 or thelike to the arms 1 forward of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 3, 1912.

Application filed June 10, 1911. Serial 1 T 1.-632,350.

axle 1 and in transverse alinement with each other. A yoke frame 15 is vertically movable in the slots of the guide plates 13 and 'has a pair of arms .ltifextending back and down with their ends connected by a knife bearing plate 17. A knife 18 reciprocable on the plate 17 substantially parallel to the surface of the ground is operated'by a pair of rock arms 19 pivoted at their lower ends to studs 20 on the knife plate 18 that play in slots '21 of the bearing plate 17. The rock arms are pivoted between their ends on studs 33 or the like secured .on out-turned lugs 22 of the arms 16, the forward ends of the arms having projecting members ,23

whichmay be either pins or friction rolls traveling in sinuous cam paths 24; formed in the peripheries of a pair of cam disks 25..

The latter are secured to the outer end portions of a shaft 26, that is journaled in the yoke frame 15. and is driven by a gage roller 27 adapted. to traverse the ground in advance of the knife 18. The yoke frame may be raised by any suitable means, as for eX- ample, a bell crank .hand lever 27 mounted on a cross bar 28 spanning'the interval .between the arms l'of the main frame, a link 29 or the like coupling one end to the yoke frame so as to raise the latter when the lever 27 isdrawn back. The lever is located in convenient relation to an operators seat 30 that is preferably carried by a spring arm 31 secured as by rivets 32 or the like to the rear of the main frame. l

As a result of this construction, a topping having a shearing out with a gaging roll that operates the knife and moves the latter up and down as it passes over a row of beets-or the like. As the driving means for the knife constitute with the latter a imit structure that is vertically reciprocable in the guide plates of the main frame, there isno racking of the parts and no adjustment necessary of the transmission mechanism'between the driving gage-roll and the knife. The topping mechanism may be raised clear of the ground when the machine is on the road, and, when in the field, the simplicity of the machine and its light weight insure easy draft and obviate the necessity of frequent adjustment.

Obviously changes in the details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit or the invention and I do not care to-limit myself to any particular form or arrangement of parts. What I'claim is: Y 1 1. A topping machine comprising a. main frame formed of a bar bent'between' its ends into parallel side. m'embersin' spaced I relation whose forward ends are inbent and united, a yoke frame reciprocablein the rame, a knife rel-- for reciprocating the knife. v 7

2.- A topping machine comprising'a one piece substantially rectangular main frame, H bearing and guide Wheels supporting. the. I frame, guide plates depending from the frame, a yoke frame reciprocable in the guideplatestransversely to the main frame, a gage roll journaled in the yoke frame for rolling contact with'the ground traversed by themachine, a cutting member reciprocable on the yoke, frame in-operative rela tion-to the gage roller, and means driven Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each} by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, 7 a Washington, .D. G. v

y thev gage roller: for recipro atin knife; m

- 3, A. topping machine comprisinga. one;

piece substantially rectangular main frame,-

bearing and guidef Wheels supportingthe;

frame, guide plates dependingffromthe A, frame, a yoke framegreciprocable in the" guide plates transversely to the main frame,

a gage r011 journaled in the yoke frame; for rolling contact with the ground traversed by the machine, a cutting member recipro cable on the yoke frame in operative rel'a; tion to'the gage roller, drumsmounted on the yoke frame to rotate with the roller-and provided with vsinuous cam pathsin their! peripheries and rock arms ivoted on the" yoke frame and to the kni eJin operativeengagement with the cam. paths In testimony whereof I affix in presence of two witnesses. 1

.lVitnesses: O. RSTIGKNEY ANNA .C. RAVILER.

my signature:

' DANIEL KLEMMER; 7 

